Play a Song for Me
The night before classes resumed in January, Cici told me that she had decided that she should give up band. Her reasoning was that if she doesn't finish history this semester, and takes it next year, she will have final exams in seven of her classes. I understand her reasoning but I know how tough it was for her to give up band.
Today I had a call from the band director, appealing to me to talk with Cici about band. He has talked with the Academic Dean and the history teacher and got their approval for a special accommodation for Cici if she will agree to it. He just doesn't want to lose her from the band, so here is what he proposed:
Cici doesn't have to practice with the band each day, he said, because she practices so well on her own. She can practice with the band on days when her history teacher says that the class time will be spent on individual effort matters, which Cici can do on her own at home. Cici would be allowed to go with the band on the band tour to Chicago and on to Wisconsin this spring. She would play in all the concert band performances this semester.
I was caught by surprise so I didn't ask a couple of questions that come to mind. If she is expected to practice for the band on her own time, as well as participate in some practices with the band and play in all the concerts with the band and go on tour with the band, is she going to earn academic credit for those efforts? If so, does she have to continue with the art class that she really doesn't want to take?
I don't know how Cici will react to this proposal but I have Ping's reaction. You discuss it with Cici and you make the decision with her, she told me. You and Cici can tell just tell me the decision once you make it. The school needs a decision right away, so even though Cici has final exams tomorrow, we need to spend some time this evening discussing this opportunity and deciding how to handle it.
So I have a plan. Someone needs to go out in the cold tonight when we get home to cover the plants for the big freeze that is hitting us tonight. But I will be busy on this important academic decision, right?
Today I had a call from the band director, appealing to me to talk with Cici about band. He has talked with the Academic Dean and the history teacher and got their approval for a special accommodation for Cici if she will agree to it. He just doesn't want to lose her from the band, so here is what he proposed:
Cici doesn't have to practice with the band each day, he said, because she practices so well on her own. She can practice with the band on days when her history teacher says that the class time will be spent on individual effort matters, which Cici can do on her own at home. Cici would be allowed to go with the band on the band tour to Chicago and on to Wisconsin this spring. She would play in all the concert band performances this semester.
I was caught by surprise so I didn't ask a couple of questions that come to mind. If she is expected to practice for the band on her own time, as well as participate in some practices with the band and play in all the concerts with the band and go on tour with the band, is she going to earn academic credit for those efforts? If so, does she have to continue with the art class that she really doesn't want to take?
I don't know how Cici will react to this proposal but I have Ping's reaction. You discuss it with Cici and you make the decision with her, she told me. You and Cici can tell just tell me the decision once you make it. The school needs a decision right away, so even though Cici has final exams tomorrow, we need to spend some time this evening discussing this opportunity and deciding how to handle it.
So I have a plan. Someone needs to go out in the cold tonight when we get home to cover the plants for the big freeze that is hitting us tonight. But I will be busy on this important academic decision, right?
Good Plan...LOL In my opinion it’s a win win situation for everyone involved, especially if she gets the academic credit that you spoke about. If Cici really wants to continue her involvement in band then the way I see it she gets to enjoy it at her own pace at the same time the band director uses her for a) His band’s excellence in music b)as an example for new newbies joining the band c)to show that the school band is multi-cultured . I say go for it Cici. You don’t have anything to lose. Who knows what the future colleges will look at when she goes to apply.
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